The New Year is only hours away and, like many others, eBusiness Connections had made some resolutions of its own. In 2009, eBusiness Connections plans to deliver more information about emerging industry tools and trends, including how these tools can help your small business operate and market itself more economically.
We have decided to focus on five key blog series this year:
- Social Media: Dip Your Toe In
What is social media and can your growing small business make use of it? - Do You Want to Use a Software as a Service (SaaS) Application?
What is SaaS and how can it help your small business grow? - Do You Need Online Video to Sell Your Product?
Is online video right for your small business? - Your Brand Online
How the web changed branding and what your small business can do to take advantage of these changes. - Website Content Management System (CMS) Evolved
The new players in the market and how these CMS’s help you maintain your business’s website.
Social Media: Dip Your Toe In
“Social media” is simply a buzzword (have you ever heard of non-social media?) that refers to new communication platforms online. Recently, Jess Sloss published an article for SocialSquared discussing that the public expects your small business to have a social media presence. The key to social media is understanding its strengths and weaknesses. Once you gain this understanding, you can develop a marketing plan based on social media and choose specific tools/platforms that best suit the needs of your business.
Do You Want to Use a Software as a Service Application?
Software as a Service (SaaS) is an emerging online industry of hosted software tools your company can use. These tools aim to remove common software burdens, including software maintenance, ongoing operation, ongoing support and high up-front costs. Is SaaS for your growing small business? Are you looking for an invoicing tool or a Web Content Management System with built-in support? This blog series is meant to help you understand the pros and cons of SaaS, as well as how it may help your small business grow.
Do You Need Online Video to Sell My Product?
Why does everyone seem to be on YouTube and why do individual blogs have video? Could your business market itself through videos and podcasts? What about broadcasting your next event via the web? Now, more than ever, online video broadcast capabilities are much more viable. Online video does not just include promotional material. How about conferencing your next multi-city office meeting? This blog series will help you understand what resources exist regarding video online, and how it may benefit a small business owner.
Your Brand Online
The web has changed marketing and brand identity online. Now, your brand is often established and re-affirmed online based on how people speak about your business. It’ss time to put away the soapbox and start a conversation with your customer. Listening to your customer may prove to be the best branding and research decision your business will make. Checkout mystarbucksidea.com or DunkinDonuts Twitter page to get an idea of what we are talking about. This blog series will help you understand how listening and speaking with your customers online will strengthen and solidify your brand’s identity.
Website CMS Evolved
Managing your business website is easier than you think. The Content Management System arena on the web has grown tremendously. The small business owner now has very good paid solutions, open source, and SaaS web content management tools at their disposal. Understanding whether your business needs a CMS and how to choose the correct one for your needs is the focus of this blog series.
Over the course of 2009, our goal is to provide the small business owner with the information needed to direct its presence in the online world. These five focused blog series have been planned based on the questions you ask us most, and we are eager to provide you with the answers. eBusiness Connections would also like to hear more about the information your small business craves. Please feel free to email us at info@e-bc.ca with any questions or suggestions you have.
Have a Happy New Year!
